Put Together Engine, NOT STARTING!!!

ok, i just put my h/c/i on. I was all excited and went to start it. To my dismay, no luck :( So at first i dodnt have spark. I dont think the coil was pressed on all the way. It now is and i have spark to all cylinders (verified by sticking the timing light on each plug wire). I also have fuel, the AFPR reads around 40psi when priming and trying to start. It just tries to crank over but wont start. When cranking it stays around 200rpm. The only thing i can think of right now is the dist. 180* off by not finding the compression stroke when stabbing it in.
 
Keep messing w/ the dizzy.
make sure all your vacuum connections are good and working (feel each one. I traced my "not starting" gremlins for 6 hours and it turned out to be a bad vacuum port on my Explorer intake.
Has the dizzy been dropped at all?
How old/new if the TFI?
Very stupid thought, but is the dizy plugged back in?
(Hey, sometimes it's the little obvious things!)
 
Scorcher2005 said:
Im in NW Indiana, Crown Point to be exact. It just sounds likeits cranking over. The cam was installed dot to dot.
AH, I'm between Valpo and Plymouth off of the highway... Try loosening the distributor up a tad and rotate the distributor back and forth somewhat as you jump the solenoid cranking it over...
 
jaymac said:
Keep messing w/ the dizzy.
make sure all your vacuum connections are good and working (feel each one. I traced my "not starting" gremlins for 6 hours and it turned out to be a bad vacuum port on my Explorer intake.
Has the dizzy been dropped at all?
How old/new if the TFI?
Very stupid thought, but is the dizy plugged back in?
(Hey, sometimes it's the little obvious things!)


I know my PVC from the intake isnt plugged in. For one, the hose cant reach from the new intake. Secondly, I dont think it would be a problem because my old one wasnt plugged in and was all clogged.

Im not sure about the dizzy being dropped, im pretty sure it wasnt though

Stock TFI

Dizzy plugged in

I do know that one of my sensors on my fuel wire loom isnt plugged in. I dont see where it could go. Go to my car domain page and you can see the pics. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/610425/3
 
Scorcher2005 said:
I know my PVC from the intake isnt plugged in. For one, the hose cant reach from the new intake. Secondly, I dont think it would be a problem because my old one wasnt plugged in and was all clogged.

Im not sure about the dizzy being dropped, im pretty sure it wasnt though

Stock TFI

Dizzy plugged in

I do know that one of my sensors on my fuel wire loom isnt plugged in. I dont see where it could go. Go to my car domain page and you can see the pics. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/610425/3

The connector goes to the carbon canister solenoid, located on the passenger side lower fender well.

Cranks OK, but No Start Checklist for Fuel Injected Mustangs

1.) Remove push on connector from starter solenoid and turn ignition switch on. Place car in neutral or Park. Remove coil wire from distributor & and hold 3/8” away from engine block. Jumper the screw to the big bolt on the starter solenoid that has the battery wire connected to it. You should get a nice fat blue spark.
Most of the items are electrical in nature, so a test light, or even better, a voltmeter, is helpful to be sure they have power to them.
No spark, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) MSD or Crane ignition box if so equipped
B.) Coil
C.) TFI module
D.) PIP sensor in distributor
E.) ECC relay next to computer - look for 12 volts at the fuel injector red wires
F.) Fuse links in wiring harness - look for 12 volts at the fuel injector red wires. All the fuse links live in a bundle up near the starter solenoid.
G.) Ignition switch - look for 12 volts at the ignition coil red/lt green wire.
H.) Computer

See the following links for wiring diagrams...

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/16/71/3c/0900823d8016713c.jsp for 79-88 model cars

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/19/59/5a/0900823d8019595a.jsp for 89-93 model cars

http://www.autozone.com/servlet/UiB..._us/0900823d/80/1d/db/3c/0900823d801ddb3c.jsp for 94-98 model cars


2.) Spark at coil wire, pull #1 plug wire off at the spark plug and check to see spark. No spark, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) Moisture inside distributor – remove cap, dry off & spray with WD40
B.) Distributor cap
C.) Rotor
D.) Spark Plug wires
E.) Coil weak or intermittent - you should see 3/8" fat blue spark with a good coil

3.) Spark at spark plug, but no start.
Next, get a can of starting fluid (ether) from your local auto parts store: costs a $1.30 or so. Then pull the air duct off at the throttle body elbow, open the throttle, and spray the ether in it. Reconnect the air duct and try to start the car. Do not try to start the car without reconnecting the air duct.
Two reasons:
1.) If it backfires, the chance for a serious fire is increased.
2.) On Mass Air cars, the computer needs to measure the MAF flow once the engine starts.
If it starts then, you have a fuel management issue. Continue the checklist with emphasis of fuel related items that follow. If it doesn’t, then it is a computer or timing issue: see Step 4.

Clue – listen for the fuel pump to prime when you first turn the ignition switch on. It should run for 5-20 seconds and shut off. To trick the fuel pump into running, find the ECC test connector and jump the connector in the lower RH corner to ground. See http://www.mustangworks.com/article...c-iv_codes.html for a description of the test connector. If the relay & inertia switch are OK, you will have power to the pump. Check fuel pressure – remove the cap from the schrader valve behind the alternator and depress the core. Fuel should squirt out, catch it in a rag. Beware of fire hazard when you do this. In pinch you can use a tire pressure gauge to measure the fuel pressure. It may not be completely accurate, but you will have some clue as to how much pressure you have.

No fuel pressure, possible failed items in order of their probability:
A.) Tripped inertia switch – Coupe & hatch cars hide it under the plastic trim covering the driver's side taillight. Use the voltmeter or test light to make sure you have power to both sides of the switch
B.) Fuel pump power relay – located under the driver’s seat in most stangs built before 92. On 92 and later model cars it is located below the Mass Air Flow meter. Look for 12 volts at the Pink/Black wire on the fuel pump relay.
C.) Clogged fuel filter
D.) Failed fuel pump
E.) Blown fuse link in wiring harness. Look for 12 volts at the Orange/Lt Blue wire on the fuel pump relay. The fuse links live in the wiring harness near the starter solenoid.
F.) Fuel pressure regulator failed. Remove vacuum line from regulator and inspect for fuel escaping while pump is running.

Fuel pressure OK, the injectors are not firing.

A.) A Noid light available from Autozone, is one way to test the injector wiring.
B.) I like to use an old injector with compressed air applied to the injector where the fuel rail would normally connect. I hook the whole thing up, apply compressed air to the injector and stick it in a paper cup of soapy water. When the engine cranks with the ignition switch on, if the injector fires, it makes bubbles. Cheap if you have the stuff laying around, and works good too.

a.) Pull an injector wire connector off and look for 12 volts on the red wire when the ignition switch is on.
b.) No power, then look for problems with the 10 pin connecter (salt & pepper shakers at the rear of the upper manifold).
c.) No power and the 10 pin connections are good: look for broken wiring between the orange/black wire on the ECC relay and the red wire for the 10 pin connectors.


4.) Spark & fuel pressure OK.

A.) Failed IAB (no airflow to start engine). Press the throttle ¼ way down and try to start the car.
B.) Failed computer (not very likely)
C.) Engine ignition or cam timing off: only likely if the engine has been worked on recently).
D.) Firing order off: HO & 351 use a different firing order from the non HO engines.
HO & 351W 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Non HO 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
E.) No start when hot - Press the throttle to the floor & try starting it if you get this far. If it starts, replace the ECT.



Putting the distributor back in is fairly simple. Pull #1 sparkplug, put your finger in the sparkplug hole, crank the engine until you feel compression. Then line up the TDC mark on the balancer with the pointer on the engine block. Align the distributor rotor up with the #1 position marked on the cap, slide the distributor down into the block, (you may have to wiggle the rotor slightly to get the gear to engage) and then note where the rotor is pointing. If it still lines up with #1 position on the cap, install the clamp and bolt. If not, pull it out and turn 1 tooth forwards or backwards and try again. Put the #1 spark plug back in and tighten it down, put the clamp on the distributor, but don't tighten it too much, as you will have to move the distributor to set the timing. Note that if it doesn't align perfectly with #1 position, you can turn the distributor until it does. The only problem is that if you are too far one way or the other, you can't turn the distributor enough to get the 10-14 degree optimum timing range.

At this point hook up all the wires, get out the timing light and start the engine. Set the timing where your car runs best. Don't forget to disconnect the SPOUT jumper connector when you set the timing, and plug it back in when you finish.
 
ok, well i removed my carbon canister so no need for it. But there are 2 sensors that both look like that. I have on plugged in and the other is not, as you can see from the pic. does it matter which one goes where? I have spark, Fuel pressure, The injectors should be fine as they are new, The wiring is most likely fine as it worked when the stock engine was there. I think ill be taking the fan and shroud off so i can crank the engine over to make sure the distributor isnt 180* off.
 
I assume you're referring to the plug right next to that one in the picture. That is the ECT sensor. I don't *believe* that you're able to put them in the wrong sensors, but it's possible. You could try it, but with the way the wire is pointing and resting, it appears as though it was connected to the charcoal canister. It's very possible that the TFI has just died on you. old stock unit's tend to do that.. Also, check your TPS voltage. Another item that can DIE w/o warning, as it did to me.
Also make sure all your grounding straps (FI harness, Firewall to head) are hooked up and clean. If you have paint on the heads, you might have a crappy ground and no start.
Check voltage @ the IAB, too.
 
Im referring to the sensor that is right under the dizzy in both pics. On my old TB, i managed to get my TPS set to like .94v. W/ the new TB i could only get around .78v. Also, i have to wires grounded onto the heads. One is the flat steel braided wire on the driver's side and the other is coming from the wire loom by the salt and pepper connectors. They are bolted to aluminum heads, does that matter? My friend is coming over soon and im going to verify the dizzy isnt 180* off. If not, than ill come back and post.
 
The ECT sensor and the carbon canister plug are very close to each other where they come out of the wiring harness. The connectors are different, so you can't interchange them.

Grounding things to the aluminum heads is OK. Just be sure that the connections are clean when you do it.

The TPS set at .78 volts is OK, the computer will compensate for the voltage as long as it is less than 1 volt.
 
Ok, well good news. The car runs. The problem was the distributor. it was in 180* off. Put it in right and it started up right away. The stock fuel pump is still in and set at 42psi. I think it is lacking a lot of pwoer, it sorda feels slower than the stcok engine. Also, while cruising in IDLE (NO GAS APPLIED AT ALL) it shifts to 2nd gear at like 1200rpm and then into 3rd and i get going like 25mph just idleing. I dont think that is supposed to happen. Any one have any ideas?